# Northern Colorado Bears football

The Northern Colorado Bears football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Northern Colorado located in Greeley, Colorado. The team competes in the Big Sky Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The university's first football team was fielded in 1893. The team plays its home games at the 8,533 seat Nottingham Field on campus. The Bears announced the hiring of Ed Lamb on December 6, 2022, replacing Ed McCaffrey, who went 6–16 in two seasons.

## Conference affiliations

Below is the list of conferences in which Northern Colorado has been a member.
* Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (1923–1971)
* Great Plains Athletic Conference (1972–1975)
* NCAA Division II independent (1976–1979)
* North Central Conference (1980–2002)
* Great West Football Conference (2004–2005)
* Big Sky Conference (2006–present)

## Championships
### National championships

Northern Colorado made two appearances in the NCAA Division II National Championship Game. The Bears defeated Carson–Newman, 23–14 in 1996, and later defeated New Haven, 51–0 in 1997.
| Year | NCAA Division | Coach | Record | National Championship Game | Opponent | Result | Location |
| 1996 | II | Joe Glenn | 12–3 | 1996 Division II National Championship | Carson–Newman | W 23–14 | Florence, AL |
| 1997 | II | Joe Glenn | 13–2 | 1997 Division II National Championship | New Haven | W 51–0 | Florence, AL |

### Conference championships

| Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record |
| 1934† | John W. Hancock | Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference | 6–1 | 6–1 |
| 1948 | John W. Hancock | Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference | 4–4 | 3–0 |
| 1969 | Bob Blasi | Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference | 10–0 | 5–0 |
| 1971 | Bob Blasi | Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference | 8–1–1 | 5–0 |
| 1973† | Bob Blasi | Great Plains Athletic Conference | 7–2 | 4–1 |
| 1974 | Bob Blasi | Great Plains Athletic Conference | 8–1 | 5–0 |
| 1975 | Bob Blasi | Great Plains Athletic Conference | 8–1 | 5–0 |
| 1980 | Bob Blasi | North Central Conference | 7–4 | 6–1 |
| 1997† | Joe Glenn | North Central Conference | 13–2 | 8–1 |
| 1998† | Joe Glenn | North Central Conference | 11–2 | 8–1 |
| 1999† | Joe Glenn | North Central Conference | 11–2 | 8–1 |
| 2002 | Kay Dalton | North Central Conference | 12–2 | 8–0 |
| Conference Championships | Conference Championships | Conference Championships | 12 | 12 | 12 |
† Co-champions

### Division championships

| Year | Coach | Division championship | Opponent | CG result |
| 1969 | Bob Blasi | RMAC Plains | Adams State | W 33–14 |
| 1970† | Bob Blasi | RMAC Plains | N/A lost tiebreaker to Pittsburg State | N/A lost tiebreaker to Pittsburg State |
| 1971 | Bob Blasi | RMAC Plains | Western State | W 25–15 |
| Division Championships | Division Championships | Division Championships | 3 | 3 | 3 |

## Playoff appearances
### NCAA Division II

The Bears appeared in the Division II playoffs nine times with an overall record of 12–7.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1980 | First Round | Eastern Illinois | L 14–21 |
| 1990 | First Round | North Dakota State | L 7–17 |
| 1991 | First Round | Portland State | L 24–28 |
| 1995 | First Round | Pittsburg State | L 17–36 |
| 1996 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Pittsburg State NW Missouri State Clarion Carson-Newman | W 24–21 W 27–26 W 19–18 W 23–14 |
| 1997 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Pittsburg State NW Missouri State Carson-Newman New Haven | W 24–16 W 35–19 W 30–29 W 51–0 |
| 1998 | First Round Quarterfinals | North Dakota NW Missouri State | W 52–28 L 17–42 |
| 1999 | First Round Quarterfinals | Pittsburg State NW Missouri State | W 34–31 L 35–41 |
| 2002 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Central Missouri State NW Missouri State Grand Valley | W 49–28 W 23–12 L 7–44 |

## Attendance
### Highest attendance

Below is a list of the Bears best-attended home games at Nottingham Field.
| Rk. | Date | Opponent | Attendance |
| Highest attendance ||||
| 1 | October 1, 2005 | Cal Poly | 9,145 |
| 2 | October 29, 2005 | Fort Lewis | 8,561 |
| 3 | October 2, 2010 | Montana | 8,105 |
| 4 | September 3, 2005 | Colorado School of Mines | 7,554 |
| 5 | October 23, 1998 | South Dakota | 7,520 |
| 6 | October 9, 1999 | Nebraska-Omaha | 7,499 |
| 7 | November 21, 1998 | North Dakota | 7,312 |
| 8 | September 20, 1998 | Texas State | 7,246 |
| 9 | October 19, 2002 | South Dakota | 7,198 |
| 10 | October 10, 1998 | South Dakota | 7,135 |
As of the 2014 season.

### Yearly attendance

Source:
Below is the Bears home attendance by season at Nottingham Field.
| Season | Total | Average | High |
| Northern Colorado Bears ||||
| 2018 | 25,293 | 4,215 | 5,672 |
| 2017 | 21,917 | 4,383 | 5,378 |
| 2016 | 24,477 | 4,895 | 5,476 |
| 2015 | 25,612 | 4,269 | 5,205 |
| 2014 | 21,037 | 4,207 | 6,348 |
| 2013 | 23,990 | 3,998 | 4,619 |
| 2012 | 21,240 | 4,248 | 5,136 |
| 2011 | 23,428 | 3,905 | 5,692 |
| 2010 | 27,919 | 5,584 | 8,105 |
| 2009 | 21,111 | 3,518 | 5,247 |
| 2008 | 21,676 | 4,355 | 7,246 |
| 2007 | 20,441 | 4,088 | 6,684 |
| 2006 | 28,857 | 6,219 | 4,810 |
| 2005 | 37,549 | 7,510 | 9,142 |
| 2004 | 27,370 | 4,562 | 6,481 |
| 2003 | 28,730 | 5,746 | 6,660 |
| 2002 | 34,898 | 5,816 | 7,198 |
| 2001 | 26,153 | 4,359 | 5,488 |
| 2000 | 29,162 | 6,352 | 4,860 |
| 1999 | 46,552 | 6,650 | 7,520 |
| 1998 | 40,690 | 5,813 | 7,312 |
| 1997 | 25,302 | 4,217 | 6,345 |
| 1996 | 27,282 | 4,547 | 6,318 |
| 1995 | 25,067 | 4,364 | 7,024 |
As of the 2015 season.

## Notable former players

Notable alumni include:
* Reed Doughty
* Vincent Jackson
* Dirk Johnson
* Jeff Knapple
* Bill Kenney
* Corte McGuffey
* Brad Pyatt
* Tony Ramirez
* Aaron Smith
* Loren Snyder
* Dave Stalls
* Frank Wainright
* Jed Roberts
* Herve Tonye-Tonye
* Cedric Tillman
* Brian Scott
* Kyle Sloter

## Head coaching records in FCS

Since moving to the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2006, the Bears have struggled. Their FCS record since 2006 is 35 and 138 as of the 2024 season.
FCS head coaching records
* Scott Downing: 9–47
* Earnest Collins Jr.: 19–53
* Ed McCaffrey: 6–16
* Ed Lamb: 1–22 as of the end of the 2024 season
Team FCS record as of the end of 2024 35–138 (.202)

## Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of August 11, 2024.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2031 |
| Chadron State | South Dakota | at New Mexico | at Colorado | at Colorado |
| at Colorado State | at Wyoming | Houston Christian | | |
| at South Dakota | Stephen F. Austin | | | |
| at Houston Christian | | | | |